👟 Gleb Dudarev Back on Bowerman Watch List

NEW ORLEANS – Kansas senior Gleb Dudarev made his second appearance on the Bowerman Men’s Watch list, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday, marking his fourth appearance on the watch list in his career.

The Bowerman – known as collegiate track & field’s highest honor – is awarded each year by the USTFCCCA to the top male and female collegiate athletes in NCAA track & field. The award was established in 2009, is named after legendary track and field coach, Bill Bowerman.

After being placed on the award’s preseason watch list on January 7, 2020, Dudarev earned his way back to the watch list after becoming the No. 5 performer in NCAA history at the Jayhawk Classic, throwing 24.38m (80-00 ft.) in the men’s weight throw. Dudarev’s throw was the farthest throw in the event since 2015, earning him his fourth career Big 12 Indoor Athlete of the Week honor, just one shy of the conference record.

The Vitebsk, Belarus native enters his senior campaign as a four-time All-American and five-time Big 12 Champion in the men’s hammer, while also holding the No. 6 hammer throw in collegiate history with his throw of 78.29m (256-10 ft.) set on August 20, 2019.

The preseason accolade is nothing new for the Kansas senior, as it marks his fourth appearance on the list in his career. Dudarev made his first appearance on The Bowerman Pre-Conference Championship Watch List on May 3, 2018, and was named to the list again on The Bowerman Post-Conference Championship Watch List on May 17, 2018.

Dudarev also holds both the indoor and outdoor Kansas school records, while holding eight of the Kansas top-10 performances indoor and all ten of the Kansas top-10 performances outdoors. Dudarev’s accomplishments span to the World stage, where he placed eighth overall in the men’s hammer throw at the 2019 IAAF World Championships.

Dudarev becomes the latest Jayhawk to be added to The Bowerman Watch List, with Jayhawk Bryce Hoppel being named a semifinalist during the 2018-19 season. Thursday’s watch list marks the second of nine Bowerman updates throughout the season, with the next men’s update being announced on Thursday, May 5. The Bowerman Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, June 24, with the winners being announced at the annual USTFCCCA Convention in December.

For more information on The Bowerman, including past winners, news and more, click here.